The Goodness
I listened to a sermon this fall by Graham Cooke in which he asks the question, what if the number one problem with America is that it lacks goodness? The Bible says that we overcome evil with good. So why does it feel like evil is winning?
“Evil always rushes in to fill the void by the absence of good. The only thing necessary for the trump of evil is for good people to do nothing, and unfortunately, that is what too many good people choose to do. It is our lack of intense, disciplined activity that has allowed evil to flourish and good men to flounder.”
William Wilberforce knew the power of God’s goodness, and he started a campaign to make goodness fashionable. The main aim of his campaign was to promote wellness and virtue in public life, but a by-product of the movement was that half a million people came to the Lord.
Graham’s question and the example of Wilberforce have been rolling around in my head for the last few months. One of the things I love about this idea is its simplicity. We can show the people around us God’s goodness starting now, and it doesn’t require a grand strategy, financial resources, or even a big platform. It reminds me of what Jesus said about bearing fruit—stay connected to me, and it will happen. Simple.
